Health and Safety Policy
Policy statement
The rules and procedures set out in this booklet are intended as a guide. No attempt has been made to cover all aspects of safety in detail. Various University safety booklets exist covering specific topics and these should be consulted for more information. These guidance booklets are available from the Unit Safety co-ordinators or from Environmental, Health and Safety Services.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974:
- it is the duty of the University, so far as is reasonably practicable, to provide a safe working environment;
- it is the duty of every employee to take reasonable care for his/her own health and safety, and for that of any other person their actions may affect.
It should be noted that the individual also has responsibility for health and safety as well as the employer. Everyone within the department must act in a safe and responsible manner.
Responsibility for (a) above rests with the Associate CIO Information Assurance and Governance. The Unit Safety Co-ordinators (USC) advise the Director on safety and are the first point of contact within the department for safety matters.
Regular safety audits and risk assessments will be carried out by the department to comply with the self-inspection requirements of the legislation.
(Signed by) Mr Christopher Milne
Associate CIO Information Assurance and Governance
You should familiarise yourself with the nearest fire alarm point and the shortest route out of the building also the location of the portable fire extinguishing appliances.
What to do in an emergency
The following apply to the Butts Wynd building occupied by IT Services staff: for fire procedures in other buildings, you should follow the policies prescribed there (i.e. College Gate).
Dial 9-999 from ANY telephone
- If you discover a FIRE in the Butts Wynd building:
- Activate the fire alarm or shout "FIRE";
- Telephone the fire brigade (9-999) and state precise location of fire. Give your name and the number of phone from where you are calling. Wait for confirmation of your message.
- If safe to do so attack the fire with a suitable appliance.
- Evacuate the Butts Wynd building and assemble either in the Quad (from the front main entrance/exit) or on the Library green (from the back entrance/exit).
In the event of a MEDICAL EMERGENCY:
- Contact a qualified First Aider (see Safety Duties).
- If you consider the emergency to be beyond the capability of a First-Aider, take one of the following actions
- consider taking the casualty direct to St Andrews Community Hospital, Largo Road, St Andrews, KY16 8AR.
- call an ambulance (9-999)
- You should make available the following information:
- Location
- Name of patient
- Details of injury/illness
- Name of patient's doctor
- Name of person reporting
- Do not move the casualty unless they are exposed to further danger and do not risk injury to yourself while trying to help the casualty.
The First Aid box is located in the kitchen (Staff Room, room 12) of the Butts Wynd building. The Staff Room (room 12) is the designated First Aid room and if necessary, be used as a Rest Room.
Reporting accidents and dagerous occurrences / near misses
All accidents and dangerous occurrences/near misses (except trivial ones) should be reported to Environmental Health and Safety Services using the appropriate University form. Copies of these forms can be obtained from the Unit Safety Coordinators.
Consultation with employees
The University has issued the following statement under the Health & Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996:
By agreement with the three recognised trade unions, Safety Representatives appointed by these Unions will also represent, with respect to the requirements of the above legislation, non-union members within their employment group.
Smoking policy
The University policy bans smoking in all University buildings, except in designated areas. There are no such areas within the Butts Wynd building.
New and expectant mothers
The University has issued guidance notes on health and safety aspects of new and expectant mothers at work. The procedures laid down will only be acted upon when the University is formally notified that an employee is an expectant mother. These procedures will include a maternity risk assessment exercise. It is important that the Associate CIO Information Assurance and Governance is informed by expectant mothers as soon as reasonably practicable so that appropriate risk assessments of her work activity can be performed.
Risk assessment
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 require that an assessment be made of all significant risks to health and safety of employees. The regulations require that risk assessment is suitable and sufficient and should identify the significant risks. This requires a systematic identification of the hazards and evaluation of the risks involved, considering the precautions already in place.
A hazard is anything that can cause an injury. The risk is the chance of that injury happening. In risk assessment all the hazards should be identified and the chances of these hazards causing injury is judged. Once identified they should be minimised either by removing the hazard or by setting by controls that minimise the risk.
It is important that all staff play their part in recognising, assessing and minimising risks.
For example, slips, trips and falls should be reported to the Unit Safety Co-ordinators. If the cause of the incident can be identified and action(s) carried out to avoid any repetition then this should be done (eg removal of trailing leads).
Electricity
The Electricity at Work Act 1989 applies. The University has produced two booklets on the subject. One gives guidance on the inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment (Portable Appliance Testing, PAT) and the second is the University's local rules for electrical safety. These guidance booklets are available from the Unit Safety Co-ordinators or from Environmental, Health and Safety Services.
All electrical equipment, including personal equipment, entering IT Services buildings (in various locations) must be tested for electrical safety. All equipment has a label attached to it giving the date of the most recent test and any equipment without such a label may be unsafe and must be checked/tested by the designated person (see Safety Duties). Any faulty, or suspected faulty, equipment must be taken or reported to the Electrical Safety Officer (see Safety Duties).
Electricity is dangerous because relatively small currents passing through the body can upset the heart, stop breathing, and disrupt the nervous system.
- All plugs must be fitted by an approved person (Safety Duties).
- Where possible a Residual Current Device (RCD) should be fitted
- All cables must be able to handle the required current.
- All live parts must be insulated or guarded so that they cannot be touched when live.
- Trailing extension sockets must be kept off the floor. This reduces tripping hazards and damage to the sockets by kicking etc.
Hazardous substances
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations require that the department maintains a list of all hazardous substances used within it, and carries out a full assessment of the more dangerous ones.
As Butts Wynd staff use only commercial chemical products, employees should consult the manufacturers' literature to determine the risks of the products and follow the manufacturers' instructions on how to control those risks.
Waste disposal
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 the duty of care in disposal of ALL waste rests with the waste producer until safe disposal has been carried out. The responsibility for waste does not end when it leaves the building and liability may continue for some time if the method of disposal used was not suitable.
The department has an agreement with Fife Council, as the local waste disposal authority, for the removal and disposal of domestic type waste. This specifically excludes any waste that could be classed as hazardous.
The Unit Safety Co-ordinators act as a 'clearing-house' for requests for disposal of non-domestic waste.
Personal protective equipment
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (PPE) regulations 1992 are now in force.
Mobile phones
Use of Hand Held Mobile Telephones While Driving
(The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use)(Amendment)(No4) Regulations 2003)
A person does not break regulations if:
- they are using the mobile phone or other similar device to call the police,fire service,ambulance or other emergency service in an emergency situation.
- they are acting in a response to a genuine emergency.
- it is unsafe or impractical for the person to cease driving in order to make the call.
NOTE: Two-way radios are not included in the above legislation and may still be used while driving.
Security
The security of University buildings occupied by IT Services requires the co-operation of everyone working in it. If you see a stranger wandering around, offer to help them.
Outside normal working hours the Butts Wynd building (and other University buildings occupied by IT Services) is locked. Do NOT leave unlocked a door you have found locked.
Noise
There is a general duty to reduce all noise levels as much as is reasonably possible.
There are two statutory thresholds of 85 dB(A) and 90 dB(A).
If the level of noise is so high that it is difficult to hear a person at 1 metre, then this should be reported to the Unit Safety Co-ordinator who will report it to Environmental, Health and Safety Services (EHSS), or it can be reported directly to EHSS.
Visual display workstations
Regulations are now in force that require 'users' of 'workstations' to have a working environment that satisfies certain criteria. The regulations required that the 'user' be identified first and then their 'workstation' assessed.
A 'user' is a person who is required to use a VDU for prolonged periods. Persons who choose to use a VDU for their work which could be done by other means may be excluded by the regulations.
Guidance Notes produced by the University's Environmental Health & Safety Service give more detail.
Manual handling
The Manual Handling Operators Regulations 1992 apply. The purpose is to reduce the risk of injury from manual handling operations. The University has published a set of guidance notes. A guidance booklet is available from the Unit Safety Co-ordinators or from Environmental, Health and Safety Services.
All manual handling operations undertaken by employees must be identified but this is not easy within a University as repetitive manual operations are uncommon. Therefore identification of such an operation must be shared with employees.
The majority of manual handling operations within this department is the one-off lifting and or moving of single items. Before any such task is undertake the risk must be assessed. The Regulations require such assessment to be done by a trained assessor but, in practice, the individual will be more likely to make an on-the-spot assessment.
The regulations give a guide of the load that may be lifted (straight lift) ranging from 5kg at arms length to 25kg held close at waist level. The lifting of anything heavier than 5kg should be carefully considered and wherever possible mechanical means should be employed. More than one trolley is provided for such tasks.
Work equipment
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992 replaces several acts covering the operation of specific types of equipment and cover the safety aspects of all Work Equipment (everything from a screwdriver, hammer or drill bit, to computers etc).
The regulations require that the equipment should be suitable for the purpose, be installed safely and be safe to operate. Operators must be trained and equipment correctly maintained.
Housekeeping
It is the responsibility of all staff to play their part in maintaining a safe working environment, and this extends to general housekeeping. Littering walkways and routes to fire exists with boxes, documentation, computers, etc is to be avoided and such material should not be placed in any other position where it may constitute a hazard.
Fire drills and alarm testing
The following applies to the Butts Wynd building occupied by IT Services: For fire procedures in other buildings, you should follow the policies prescribed there (i.e. College Gate).
There will be a full fire drill carried out in each Semester and over the long vacation by the Unit Safety Co-ordinators.
Fire alarm equipment will be tested weekly by the Building Safety Co-ordinators every Monday afternoon.
Bomb threats
The University Bomb Procedures should be followed.
Stress at work
The Health and Safety Executive defines stress as "the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them". Staff who experience any of the physical or psychological symptoms related to stress, for example headaches, high blood pressure, lack of motivation, depression should take prompt action. A Guide to Stress Recognition and Reduction can be found on the Human Resources web pages.
Safety co-ordinators and departmental safety duties
The Safety Co-ordinators are responsible to the Associate CIO Information Assurance and Governance who is responsible to the University Court for all aspects of health and safety in the work of this Department.
Not all members of staff of IT Services work within the Butts Wynd building. Those members of staff who work elsewhere should refer to the safety policy document issued by the school/unit/department in which they work.
Similarly, has classrooms containing computer equipment in various other units/departments within the University (ITS Fact Sheets 5.1 and 5.5 refer) and cooperation between the Safety Co-ordinators of those departments and IT Services is maintained.
| Role | Name | Ext | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Information Officer | Steve Watt | cio | |
| Associate CIO Assurance and Governance | Christopher Milne | cm230 | |
| Unit Safety Co-ordinators | Pam Reid | par | 2532 |
| June Syme | jms | 2755 | |
| First Aiders | Gerardo Olaez | go4 | 2758 |
| Duncan Brannen | dbb | 2778 | |
| Jon Callan | jrc9 | 2541 |
Safety Committee
Christopher Milne
Pam Reid
June Syme
Steve Watt